The Latest Breaking News from West Africa

Kush: what is this dangerous new west African drug that supposedly contains human bones?

A new drug called kush is wreaking havoc in west Africa, particularly in Sierra Leone where it is estimated to kill around a dozen people each week and hospitalise thousands.

The Conversation · Jan 15, 2024

Africa's biggest fuel refinery starts production in move toward self-sufficiency

Nigeria's long-awaited Dangote refinery has begun producing diesel and aviation fuel, the company said on Saturday, after years of delays. The plant, the largest of its kind in Africa, is expected to supply not only Nigeria but other countries in West Africa – potentially transforming the region's oil trade.

Radio France Internationale · Jan 13, 2024

Feted abroad, ignored in Nigeria: The story of Mami Wata’s voyage to Oscars

The film, a black-and-white fantasy thriller inspired by West African folklore, is Nigeria’s third entry for the Oscars.

Al Jazeera · Dec 22, 2023

Ghana’s media treats terrorism as a threat from outside – it overlooks violence at home

In 2022, 43% of all global terrorism deaths occurred in the Sahel – the region south of the Sahara Desert and stretching east-west across the African continent. West Africa had recorded 1,800 terrorism attacks as of June 2023, resulting in nearly 4,600 deaths.

The Conversation · Dec 6, 2023

Guinea-Bissau’s president dissolves parliament after last week’s failed coup

Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo has dissolved the nation’s parliament, according to a decree issued on Monday which cited last week's failed coup, further raising concerns about political stability in the country and the entire coup-hit West Africa region.

Radio France Internationale · Dec 4, 2023

Cocoa Prices Underpinned as Heavy Rain Drenches West African Cocoa Farms

March ICE NY cocoa (CCH24 ) on Thursday closed +4 (+0.09%), and Dec ICE London cocoa #7 (CAZ23 ) closed -2 (-0.06%). Cocoa prices on Thursday extended this week's rally, with Mar NY cocoa posting a contract high and nearest-futures (CCZ23) posting a 46-year high. Cocoa prices remain underpinned as...

Barchart · Nov 30, 2023

World AIDS day: Mental health challenges faced by individuals living with HIV and how to overcome them

Historically, AIDS was first identified in West Africa in the late 19th century. However, a lack of awareness, especially among children under the age of 15, has contributed to its spread. Many people succumbed to AIDS simply because they didn't know how to treat it. Globally, India ranks third in…

The Times of India · Nov 30, 2023

Gambian man convicted in Germany for role in killings under Gambia's former ruler

A German court has convicted a Gambian man of murder and crimes against humanity for involvement in the killing of government critics in his West African homeland

The Independent UK · Nov 30, 2023

Sierra Leone declares nationwide curfew after gunmen attack main military barracks in the capital

Sierra Leone’s president has declared a nationwide curfew after gunmen attacked the West African country's main military barracks in the capital

The Independent UK · Nov 26, 2023

Sierra Leone declares nationwide curfew after attack on Freetown army barracks

Sierra Leone’s president declared a nationwide curfew Sunday after gunmen attacked the military's main and largest barracks in the West African nation's capital and then overran detention centers, including a major prison.

France 24 · Nov 26, 2023